Coffea is an evergreen shrub, similar to the camellia. It is a member of the Rubiaceae family of plants. All coffee beans come from the plants of the genus Coffea. Though this species includes literally thousands of plants, in a great variety of sizes and shapes, only two species are of marketable quality: Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora, also called Robusta. A third species, of little commercial importance for the world market, is Coffea liberica.
Arabica
This is the oldest of the two varieties. It is believed to come from Ethiopia but, as its name suggests, it was first cultivated in the Arabic Peninsula. Although it is very susceptible to changes in ambient temperatures and pests, Coffea arabica is the most widespread variety. It is grown mainly in Central and Southern American countries, in high altitude regions (600-2100m). Coffea arabica bears large, long and relatively flat fruit. The three main Arabica cultivars are: Arabica Geisha, Arabica Typica and Arabica Bourbon About 72% of the world's coffee production is Coffea arabica. It has a very refined taste compared to other types of coffee. Depending on the variety, its caffeine content ranges from 0.6% to 1.6%. The flavor of the Arabica beans varies from one species to the other, but fluctuations exist within the same species depending on the country or area in which it is grown.
